Monday, March 31, 2014

China nationals ordered to obey Tanzania’s laws

The Chinese
Embassy office accredited in the country has strictly ordered its nationals
living and working in Tanzania
to obey the country’s laws in their dwellings just like other foreigners. The Guardianhas been informed. Liu Dong,
Cultural Counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Dar es Salaam, madethe plea during an exclusive interview on Thursday this week. The call by
Chinese Embassy official has come amid widespread speculation that, some
Chinese nationals working in the country have been breaching the country’s laws
and tend to engage with illegal business activities, a factor that most
Tanzanians have lost trust with them. Two weeks ago, a Chinese national Engineer Yu Bo
(45) was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment or pay a fine of Sh. 9bn/- by the
Kisutu Magistrate Court in Dar es Salaam after having pleaded guilty to charges
of unlawful possession of government trophies worth 978,120,490/-. The verdict was
ruled by Resident Magistrate, Devotha Kisoka under the Economic and Organised
Crime Control Act. Commenting on the
decision passed by court, Liu Dong noted that, Chinese government is happy with
the judgment and has no any comments. However, he said adding that, one way to
honour the existing bilateral relationships between China and Tanzania is
strict observance of the country’s laws and not otherwise. In light of the 50
years anniversary of the cooperation between Tanzania and China, Liu Dong has
expressed the Chinese desire to continue helping Tanzania in every sector
development with a view to promote national economy. He said there are a lot of
activities to be performed in relation to the existing cooperation among the
two countries Among the strategies in place is a live broadcast by a Chinese
owned CCTV Television for Serengeti national park, adding that the motive behind
is to promote tourism sector in the country. Other activities include the
promotion of martial arts and climbing of Mount Kilimanjaro by experts from China
and this would be done in collaboration with Tanzania counterparts. There would
be an exhibition to promote cartoonist and photo exhibitions that would
highlight value agricultural activities which were being promoted under socialism
policies of the two countries during the reigns of Mao Tse Tung and Mwalimu
Julius Nyerere. In addition to that, Liu Dong noted that, the Chinese
government will in this year start sponsoring students for Masters and PhD
Degree program studies in the field of Science and Technology and about 200
Tanzanian students would benefit yearly. Two weeks ago, Chinese Ambassador
accredited in the country Lu Youging was quoted as saying, “his government has pledged
to collaborate with Tanzania government to curb the increased rate of poaching
in national parks in the country”. To facilitate the move, China has donated
two machines to be used for screening and scanning of containers at Dar es
Salaam and Zanzibar ports respectively. He said that, poaching has become a
problem in many African countries and China will continue support Tanzania in
the fight. Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and International Cooperation John Haule has said that, about 15 Tanzanians
earlier convicted of death sentences for allegedly found in possession of
illegal illicit drugs in China, will now serve life sentences in jail. He told
a press conference on Tuesday this week in Dar es Salaam when explaining the
successes of the Chinese President who visited Tanzania last year, adding that,
the parole is due to the good diplomatic relations which has been existing between
the two countries for about 50 years in areas of social, political, economical,
security as well as defense. “Due to this long standing diplomatic relations of
the two countries, Tanzanian inmates who had been sentenced to death in
relation to illegal possession of illicit drugs, will now serve life sentences”
he said.

AWARD 1

I won the second prize in policy category of the African Information society Initiative ( AISI) awards 2004 which is annually organized by the United Nations- Economic Commission for Africa ( UNECA) based in Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia. On the first photo above standing with other awardees after the Ceremony at the National Settlers monument in Grahamstown, South Africa.This was during the 8th Highway Africa Conference.The second photo shows the cross section of Jounalists from different African countries who attended the ceremony.

AWARD 2

I also won the AISI-GKP/SDC Media Award special reporting on WSIS process and Africa, and conferred with the award in Tunis, Tunisia during WSIS summit in 2005. See the photo above.

AWARD 3

Winner on the Media Competition on writing about " Stigma denial and Discrimination" associated with HIV/AIDS. This was organized by theAssociation of Journalists Against Aids in Tanzania ( AJAAT). On the Photo above President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete of Tanzania, ( then the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation) was the guest of honour during the award giving ceremony.This was at Maelezo auditorium in Dar-es-Salaam September 2005.

AWARD 4

Winner on the Media Competition on writing about "Vulnerable Children" associated with HIV/AIDS This was organized by the Association of Journalists Against Aids in Tanzania ( AJAAT)

AWARD 5

Winner of the National ICT Media Award organized By SWOPNET in the Country. On the photo above Morogoro Regional Commissioner, Brigadier General ( Rt) Saidi Kalembo was the guest of honour during the award giving ceremony which was held at New Sarvoy Hotel in morogoro town.I was awarded a Mobile phone and a tape-recorder.

AWARD 6

I participated in the Media Competition in writing about VCT (Voluntary Counseling and Testing) in Tanzania which was held between July 15th and October 30th 2008 whereby I emerged among the top five winners. The competition was under the program known as “Tanzania bila Ukwimwi inawezekana” which literally means, Tanzania without AIDS disease transmission is possible”. This is a program which was organizedby the Association of Journalists Against AIDS in Tanzania (AJAAT) under TACAIDS funding. In the photo, I am being presented with a certificate of participation by the Chairman of the Tanzania Commission for AIDS (TACAIDS) Dr. Fatma Mrisho in a colorful ceremony which was held on 22nd December 2008 at Tanzania Information Centre in Dar es Salaam.

AWARD 7

AWARD 8

AWARD 9

I was among the top 17 best selected students who excelled in their final examinations of the 2010/2011 academic year and awarded with the Vice-Chancellor’s prize. I scored 4.5 GPA (First Class) in BA in Journalism. Above I am being given a certificate by the Chairman of the Open University of Tanzania Board of Senate. Standing at the centre facing camera is the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Tolly Mbwette. Extreme left partly hidden is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Elifas Bisanda. This occasion took place during the convocation meeting, a day before the graduation day at the prospective permanent headquarter of the Open University of Tanzania which is currently under construction at Bungo-Kibaha in Coast region 40 kilometers away west of Dar es Salaam city.